Almost Half of Registered Voters Say Infrastructure Has Worsened

The country’s infrastructure has deteriorated drastically over the last five years, contributing to congestion on many highways, according to a poll commissioned by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers that was released Aug. 9.

Specifically, 46% of registered voters said infrastructure got worse in the last five years, and nearly 90% of them said roads, bridges and energy grids are in need of repairs. Also seven out of 10 registered voters said more federal funding for infrastructure would improve the economy, according to the poll.

"Americans across the political spectrum understand the dire state of U.S. infrastructure and believe that the federal government should do more to improve our infrastructure," said Dennis Slater, the association’s president.

"Voters recognized that increased federal funding for assets such as roads, bridges and inland waterways will have a positive impact on the economy, and they are looking to the federal government to repair and modernize," Slater added.

For the poll, 1,975 registered voters were interviewed online from June 17 to June 20. The margin of error for the poll is 2%.

A five-year highway law that authorizes funding for highway projects nationwide expires in 2020. Transportation leaders on Capitol Hill have pledged to advance a long-term funding package before that law expires to ensure funding for infrastructure projects.